Common Home Seller Misconceptions

PREPARING YOUR HOME FOR A QUICKER SALE AND HIGHER PRICE

Home staging is an art, which is why it is best to hire a home staging professional, if possible. Below you will see some misconceptions home sellers have about preparing their home for sale, and then you will find some important information on how to prepare your home to attract buyers as quickly as possible. When it comes right down to it, do you want to sell your home quickly, or drag it out? The choice is up to you and how much action you take to get ready.

COMMON HOME SELLER MISCONCEPTIONS

1. Buyers can imagine the house without all my stuff in it.

Well, actually, they can't. In fact, 95% of home buyers shop with the attitude of "what you see is what you get." If you present a cluttered and disorganized home, you might as well put up a neon sign that says "Buy this house and you too can live a cluttered and disorganized life!"

2. Baking bread, brewing fresh coffee, and playing soft music will make a buyer fall in love with my house.

Point of fact: home buyers will be more interested in a house that looks and smells clean. Everyone knows the baking bread, coffee trick by now anyway.

3. I'll need to empty the house to help buyers see themselves living in it.

This is only partly true. Walls of family photos are distracting, as is your collection of teacups. These things should be packed away. There is a fine line, however, between creating a cold and empty space and one that is warm and inviting, but clutter free.

4. Original features add value.

Sometimes they do, if the property is less than 50 years old. Any more than that, and you're looking at doing some updating!

5. My house isn't worth staging.

If your house is worth selling, it's worth staging. All you're really doing is trying to present it in a positive light to buyers - that's it. The idea is to prepare your property so that it appears to be a better value compared to similar homes in the same price range. Check out your competition to see what's being offered. You can check your city's mls listings, or visit some open houses. Once you see other houses, you'll know what you need to do to make sure it's YOUR house that is purchased!

6. Empty rooms look bigger.

Have you ever seen an empty concrete slab ready for a house to be built on? They always seem so small. Buyers always prefer to see how a room is used and what will fit in the available space rather than trying to imagine it.

7. It's okay to leave my home gym set up in one of the bedrooms.

Bedrooms are one of the most valuable commodities of the properties for sale. Having a home gym set up in a bedroom can make the bedroom seem smaller than it is. The key is to always give the rooms in your house a purpose that most people can relate to.

8. No one looks in the closets and cupboards, so just stuff everything in them.

Home storage is a super big thing to most buyers. They will open storage cupboards in kitchens and bathrooms, so keep them and as empty as possible.

WHERE TO START

Set a budget, or if you don't have one, focus instead on the rooms that need to be tidied up and de-cluttered. Do this first.

If you do have a small budget to work with, prioritize what needs to be replaced, updated or what just needs to be cleaned.

A big budget is not necessary to make major improvements in the appearance of your house.

The only staging you may need to do, for example, is to remove unnecessary furniture. This won't cost anything, but it will open up a bit of extra space, which can make a huge difference for the buyer. Rooms seem much bigger and more open when furniture pieces that cause obstacles to walking traffic are removed.

Kitchens and bathrooms are the easiest rooms to stage on a limited budget, because sometimes all that is needed is a good scrubbing of sinks, cabinets and counters. Personal items should be removed.

Take all your personal items and accessories out of bedrooms, including the shelves and closets. Leave tables neat and organized looking.

Outside windows, siding, doors and walls should all be cleaned thoroughly.

Clean up weeds and prune overgrowth from trees, flowers and plants/shrubs around the house.

Replace or repair broken lights, doorknobs, handles and other hardware. A new coat of neutral paint goes a long way towards making a significant improvement in appearance.

SUMMARY

Try to look at your home through the eyes of a buyer and your staging efforts will be more focused and effective.

The most basic steps of home staging are decluttering and depersonalizing, cleaning and repairing, and setting the stage.

Decluttering and depersonalizing your home means you should pack away at least 50% of your belongings as well as seasonal clothes, holiday decorations, family pictures, knickknacks, and those unnecessary pieces of furniture that are crowding your rooms. The less 'stuff' that is in your home, the more space it will appear to have. The more reminders of your family that a prospective buyer sees in your home, the less likely they will see themselves living in your space; your personal items make them feel a bit like uninvited guests.

Even if you can't afford to hire a professional stager, it's important to set the stage yourself for any buyers who come to tour your home. Home staging helps homes sell faster and usually nets sellers more money than they would otherwise get without staging. All the effort you've put forth will be well worth it in the end!